Professional Experience

Ms. Hernandez’s practice focuses on general business and commercial litigation.  Ms. Hernandez has litigated matters for clients in insurance, healthcare, banking, real estate, and other service industries. She represents clients in federal and state courts throughout the country.  She is actively involved in all phases of litigation, from pre-litigation counseling through trial and appeal.

In addition, Ms. Hernandez specializes in bankruptcy litigation, including preference, fraudulent conveyance and other avoidance actions; executory contract and other contract disputes; administrative claims; disputes regarding asset purchase agreements and other transactions with debtors; objections to proof of claims; bankruptcy-related directors and officers litigation; and financial fraud litigation.  Her bankruptcy practice is concentrated on large reorganization cases, and has involved the representation of creditors, trustees, creditors’ committees, and governmental and regulatory entities in a wide range of matters and businesses.

Prior to joining Manatt, Ms. Hernandez served as a judicial extern to District Court Judge Audrey B. Collins in the Central District of California.

Representative Matters

General Business Litigation 

• Successful resolution of a representative and competitive business action filed under California Business and Professions Code Section 17200 alleging violations of various California regulatory restrictions against an international outdoor advertising company.
• Defense of the largest housing discrimination case ever brought by the Department of Justice alleging claims of race, national, and familial status discrimination in connection with the defendants’ alleged discriminatory rental practices. 
• Successful resolution of breach of contract and unfair business practice claims against a major health plan.
• Successful defense of an employer in an action filed by a former employee seeking invalidation of contractual provisions.  Case dismissed on summary judgment.

Bankruptcy Litigation

• Summary judgment obtained in favor of Tenet Healthcare Systems in a fraudulent transfer action to recover several millions of dollars. 
• Successful resolution of a real estate fraudulent transfer matter brought on behalf of the Chapter 7 Trustee against former principals of an Orange County acute-care hospital resulting in a $10.5 million settlement in favor of the Estate.
• Successful resolution of the City of Los Angeles claim in connection with the Chapter 11 proceeding of In re Adelphia.
• Favorable resolution of one of the largest fraudulent transfer actions involving damages against Las Vegas casinos for more than $26 million.
• Favorable resolution of a large preference action against a major retailer to recover a $350,000 payment.
• Summary judgment obtained in favor of a creditor in a preference action to recover a $500,000 payment.
• Counsel to the largest secured lender in a bankruptcy matter involving a fully licensed and operational acute care facility regarding the sale of the facility.  Dispute with debtor resolved in favorable terms to the lender.

Education

University of Southern California Law School, J.D., 1998.
President, USC La Raza Law Students Association.
Finalist, Hispanic National Bar Association Moot Court Competition.

University of California, Los Angeles, B.A., summa cum laude, 1995.

Memberships & Activities

Member, State Bar of California.

Member, American Bar Association.

Member, Los Angeles County Bar Association.

Member, Hispanic National Bar Association.

Member, Planning Committee for the Hispanic National Bar Association Convention of 2008.

Trustee, Board of Trustees, Hispanic College Fund.

Member, Hispanic National Bar Foundation.

Member, Advisory Board, California Literacy, Inc.

Member, Mexican-American Bar Association.

Also admitted to practice in the United States District Court for the Northern, Eastern, Central, and Southern Districts of California, the California Supreme Court, and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Honors & Awards

Recipient, March 2008, USC La Raza Law Student Association Alumni of the Year (recognizing outstanding commitment to public service.

Publications

Author, “Case Study:  Berg & Berg Enterprises v. Boyle,” Bankruptcy Law 360, May 2010.

Co-Author, “Protecting Privileged Communications,” California Lawyer, June 2005.

Published Opinions

Casey v. U.S. Bank National Ass’n, 127 Cal. App. 4th 1138, 26 Cal. Rptr. 3d 401 (Cal. App. 4th Dist. 2005).

Congress of California Seniors, et al. v. Catholic Healthcare West, et al., 87 Cal. App. 4th 491, 104 Cal. Rptr. 2d 655 (Cal. App. 2d Dist. 2001).

Languages

Spanish